Editing Shannon Airport (section)

=== Usage for military stopovers ===
Shannon Airport has a history of foreign military use. A large part of its business in recent years has been military stopovers, currently almost all American; however, the airport was also frequently used by the Soviet military until the 1990s, since Ireland, having a traditional policy of military neutrality, was not a member of [[NATO]]. There were some restrictions, such as carrying no arms, ammunition, or explosives, and that the flights in question did not form part of military exercises or operations. Shannon saw military transports throughout the [[Cold War]] and during the first [[Gulf War]].

In the aftermath of the [[September 11 attacks]], the [[Irish government]] offered the use of Shannon to the [[Federal government of the United States|US government]]. When the United States invaded [[Iraq]] in 2003, the government still allowed [[United States Armed Forces]] to use the airport. This caused controversy and was the subject of protests and a challenge brought to the [[High Court (Ireland)|High Court]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/markup.cgi?doc=/ie/cases/IEHC/2003/64.html |title=High Court of Ireland Decisions |publisher=Bailii.org |access-date=15 January 2014 |archive-date=23 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923181902/http://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/markup.cgi?doc=%2Fie%2Fcases%2FIEHC%2F2003%2F64.html |url-status=live }}</ref> As of November 2008, approximately 1.2 million troops had passed through Shannon since the beginning of the [[Iraq War]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1106/1225893547102.html |title=Almost 200,000 troops use Shannon |publisher=Irishtimes.com |date=6 November 2008 |access-date=3 October 2015 |archive-date=21 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021212601/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1106/1225893547102.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2012–2013, the military flight contracts are held by [[Omni Air International]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/the-us-militarys-international-airlift-contracts-05066/ |title=The US Military's International Airlift Contracts |publisher=Defense Industry Daily, LLC |access-date=3 October 2015 |archive-date=28 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928174919/https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/the-us-militarys-international-airlift-contracts-05066/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 6 December 2005, the [[BBC]] programme ''[[Newsnight]]'' alleged that Shannon was used on at least 33 occasions by United States [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA) [[rendition aircraft#Shannon Airport, Ireland|flights]], thought to be part of a US policy called [[extraordinary rendition by the United States|extraordinary rendition]]. ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported the number to be 33, though referring to "Ireland" rather than Shannon, while [[Amnesty International]] has alleged the number of flights to be 50. [[Casement Aerodrome]] has seen similar reports. The United States and Ireland have denied these allegations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thejournal.ie/gilmore-accepts-us-assurance-of-no-rendition-flights-through-shannon-231876-Sep2011/ |title=Gilmore accepts US assurance of no rendition flights through Shannon |publisher=Thejournal.ie |date=20 September 2011 |access-date=15 January 2014 |archive-date=16 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116102550/http://www.thejournal.ie/gilmore-accepts-us-assurance-of-no-rendition-flights-through-shannon-231876-Sep2011/ |url-status=live }}</ref> German [[Khaled El-Masri]], who was mistakenly tortured by the CIA after being abducted by the Macedonian police, was taken to an Afghan [[black site]] by a plane which had stopped at Shannon Airport on its way to North Macedonia to pick him up. In response, Amnesty International Ireland reported that "the Irish Government knew that the CIA used Shannon Airport as part of their renditions operations" and called for an independent investigation into the use of Shannon Airport for extraordinary renditions operation by the USA.<ref>{{cite news |title=Plane used to transfer unlawfully detained man landed at Shannon |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/shannon-airport-man-detained-714091-Dec2012/ |agency=Journal.ie}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Abduction plane stopped in Shannon |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/abduction-plane-stopped-in-shannon-26338273.html |agency=Irish Independent}}</ref>

After a call by the [[Irish Human Rights Commission]] that the Irish government inspect aircraft supposed to be a part of the US extraordinary rendition program, the Minister for Foreign Affairs [[Dermot Ahern]] rejected these proposals. In a leaked [[diplomatic cable]] written by US Ambassador to Ireland [[Thomas C. Foley]], Foley reported that Ahern thought it "might not be a bad idea to allow the random inspection of a few planes to proceed, which would provide cover if a rendition flight ever surfaced. He seemed quite convinced that at least three flights involving renditions had refueled at Shannon Airport before or after conducting renditions elsewhere".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reilly |first1=Gavan |title=Ahern suspected US carried prisoners through Shannon: WikiLeaks |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/ahern-suspected-us-carried-prisoners-through-shannon-wikileaks-59178-Dec2010/ |work=The Journal |date=10 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Phelan |first1=Shane |title=Wikileaks: Memo tells of Ahern's rendition fears |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/wikileaks-memo-tells-of-aherns-rendition-fears/26607357.html |work=[[Irish Independent]] |date=17 December 2010}}</ref>